Charming but not compelling. Reminiscent of historic novels written in the 80s. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.

A tad b.o.r.i.n.g.

An interesting, gritty look into Paris in the 1880s during the construction of the Eiffel tower. I felt some parts of this book dragged, and I didn't really care for the ending, but other than that it was okay.

To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin is a love story between an impoverished Scottish widow and a French engineer set in 1800s Paris. This is a time of class structure, strict societal rules, a vibrant art community, and the construction of the Eiffel Tower. It is the history I will remember from this book not the characters or the story.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2016/11/to-capture-what-we-cannot-keep.html

Reviewed based on a publisher’s galley received through NetGalley

I did not finish this book. I was SO BORED.

I just really enjoyed this book. It's the type of book that sucks you in, and by the time you realize it, it's been three hours and you're not actually in Paris. I actually had to take a break from reading it because I was going through it too quickly and I didn't want the story to end.

I loved the characterizations of Emile and Cait, and I was rooting for them throughout the entire novel. Jamie and Alice were annoying and naive, but that seemed accurate based on their background. I really loved how this was set during the building of the Eiffel Tower because it gave you a sense of everything coming to a head at the same time as the Tower being completed.

Spoiler

I was bummed that Gabrielle didn't get her comeuppance. Though I suppose her pitiful life is punishment in its own way.

Thanks, Flatiron Books! :)

I wanted to like this book but was just. so. boring.

I listened to this while walking 10+ miles around London. Had I been reading the physical, I probably would have been bored, but it was an alright background story. Beautifully written. Some of the issues could have so easily been resolved with better communication from the characters, but that builds the drama, I suppose. I wouldn’t say this is, like, epic, but if you’re into Paris and the history of the Eiffel Tower, it’s a good read.

A perfectly suitable fluffy historical romance, set during the construction of the Eiffel Tower.